Electric battery cover and sealing means



June 12.11928.

W. E. HOLLAND ELECTRIC BATTERY COVER AND SEALING MEAN-S Filed May 10,1921 Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED- STATES 1,673,677 PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. HOLLAND, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANTA, ASSIGNOR TO PHILA-DELPHIA STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A

I CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC BATTERY COVER AND SEALING MEANS.

Application filed Kay 10, 1921. Serial no. 468,315.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the sealing of, and inthe covers or closures for, battery cells. usually made of hard rubberand sealing material is placed between the side walls of the containmgjar and the cover. Sealing material is also placed around the terminalposts, and between each post and the adacent portion of the cover.

The objects of my invention are to improve the construction of a coverof this type so as to form a more effective joint between it and thesealing compound; to provide a simple and effective means for securelylock- ,ing the cover to the terminal posts as well as to provide meanswhereb the sealing com pound .will adhere to t e jar wall more strongly.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the upper portion of a battery cellillustrating my invention;

Fig. 2 is a the cover; v

Fig. 3 ,is a perspective view of one of the fastening washers; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional perspective view showingilgrooves in the innersurface of the jar wa I the above drawings, 1 is a battery cell jar and2 and 3 are the positive and negative plates, which are connected ingroups by straps 4 and 5 res ectively. 6 is a ter minal post extendingrom the stra 4, and 35 7 is a terminal post extending from t e strap 5,while 8 is a cover, preferably .molded in one piece of hard rubber. Thiscover fits freely in the open top of the jar 1 above the straps and hasthree openings 9, 9 and 10, in l the present instzince, zts shown inFig. 2. s The terminal posts 6 and 7 extend through the openings 9. .Theopening 10 is provided with internal flanges 11, which are engaged byprojections on .a vent cap 12 having a 45 suitable vent opening therein,

At the bottom of the; openings 9 are flanges perspective view of oneform of 13, which may rest on the shoulders at thebase of the terminalposts 6 and 7. In the present instance, a series of annular ribs 14 areformed on each terminal post 6 and 7, so .as to lie in the coveropenings 9, which are much larger than said osts. Sa1d openings areslight y tapered and of them is a washer 15 made of suitable acid- Thesecovers are in the bottom of each 4 resisting material. I prefer to makethis of lead or a lead alloy in the form of a conical ring (Figure 3)which, when placed 1n the depression around the post and acted on by asuitable tool, will assume the form shown at 15, contracting at the sametime on or below one of the ribs on the post to lock the cover securelyto the same. If preferred, this locking washer may also be cast inplace, for which purpose it is made of suitable molten or plasticmaterial. The adlmrent sealing compound 16 is then poured.

into the openings around the posts to make a tight seal,'thus preventingthe cover from' rising and also forming a water-tight joint at theterminal posts.

The cover has a deep flange 17 at each edge and this flange is made in,step form as shown at 18. In the preferred form of I the invention agroove 19 is formed in the step, and this groove is continuous, passingaround all four sides of the cover. At the lower edge of the flange is alateral extension 20. The. cover fits freely in the top of thejar 1 andthe sealing compound 16 is placed in the space between the jar wall andthe flange of the cover, as shown in Fig. 1. This sealing compound ispoured in while in a molten condition and as the space hetween the lowerportion of the flange and the jar is relatively narrow, the compound at"this point is uickly chilled by the jar and cover walls, w ich preventsthe sealing material passing through any clearance space between thecover and the jar, The sealing material, as it cools and shrinks, gripsand interlocks with the cover, due to the stepped and recessed formationof the flange, so that there is but little likelihood of the coverpulling away from thesealirig material owmg to settling or vibratorymovement of the plate element. Furthermore, the stepped or ribbedconstruction makes a circuituous path, which serves to prevent the readyescape ofthe liquid should the joint between the sealing compound andthe coverbecome partl open. The inner surface of the jar wall a jacentthe cover may be grooved or roughened as in Fig. 4, so that the sealingmaterial will adhere more firmly to the jar than if the surface wereleft smooth.

It ,is to be understood that the form,of this and that various changesin the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoinedclaims.

I claim: I 1. A battery cover having a body portion with filling andterminal ost openings therein, and having a peripheral flange whoseouter face is formed with an upwardly opening recess surrounded by anupwardly projecting rib, said body portion having also a lateral flangeat a level below the said rib adapted to come in close proximity to thejar walls and retain the sealing compound.

2. A battery cover consisting of a body portion having a dependingperipheral WALTER E. HOLLAND.

